3 April 2019 - Central League Cup

Stirling v Grangemouth
Uby Archibong   Alan Bell   Graham Hamilton   Dougie Will   David Wallace   Ian Mason   Alasdair Sandham	2194   1991   1976   1914   1756   1620   1308	1 - 0   1 - 0   1 - 0   1 - 0   0 - 1   1 - 0   1 - 0	1771   1712   1667   1634   1576   1456   1226	Jim Shemilt   Steve Smith   Graham Anderson   David McAlister   Bill Cook   Tony Pitson   Gordon Allcock
		6 - 1

Thankfully Bill spared us a whitewash with a game that went right down to the last minute, when David blundered in time trouble to hand Bill a rook and the game. The match was already well beyond Stirling - I finished first, with probably my worst game ever, which is presented below in the hope that someone learns something from it. Tony may have had some chances to win had he not lost on time.

[Event "CL Cup - Grangemouth v Stirling"] [Site "Grangemouth CC"] [Date "2019.04.03"] [Round "SF"] [White "Hamilton, G"] [Black "Anderson, G"] [Result "1-0"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 c5 4. Nc3 d5 5. e3 a6 6. Be2 Nc6 7. O-O Bd6 8. Ne5 cxd4 9. exd4 Qc7 10. Re1 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Bxe5 12. Bxe5 Qxe5 13. Bb5+ { Black resigns. } 1-0

I had considered castling on move 10 before the big exchange on e5, but I was worried I would lose my opportunity to exchange anything. It's not often, as Black against d4, that I emerge with d and e pawns intact and White has no central pawns. Of course, Stockfish recommends it. A good player always makes his King safe. My thoughts on Graham's reply had all been around 13 Bxa6 and where to put my Queen after that - d6 seems OK, but I would have to be careful of Nb5 and keep my eye on c7. Or maybe not. The lucky underpants have had their day, and I'll be shopping this weekend for a new pair.